If you are looking for property in the Chch area please be careful when looking at houses with cosy open fires and woodburners.

"From 2006, you may not be able to use an open fire within Christchurch city. Soon after that, older wood and coal-fired heaters will need to be replaced with cleaner, better means of heating - and there will be strict guidelines in place governing pollution and energy efficiency standards for replacement burners."

For more info visit http://www.ecan.govt.nz/CleanHeat/chp.html

We put an offer in on another house recently and were about to settle on a price when they said "oh, one thing, the woodburner will need replacing in the next year or two" :eek We will now negotiate based on the cost of replacing said woodburner :